Surveillance Video Captures Damaging Storm

Winds Rip Gas Station

A surveillance camera at a gas station near 38th Street and Mitthoeffer Road captured the tornado that heavily damaged a nearby apartment complex last Friday.

The pumps were crowded as the storm plowed into the Marathon station. Recording stopped when the power went out, 6News' Rick Hightower reported.

At first, the image is clear. Then, debris swirls and all goes dark.

In addition to incurring heavy damage on homes and hundreds of apartments, the storm hit businesses hard.

Employees spent Monday evening trying to squeegee a Laundromat where dryers had to be dried out.

Navil Manzur owns the Laundromat, along with a check-cashing store and the gas station.

"This is very severe," Manzur said. "Put together, I would say $500,000 to $600,000."

The owner of another gas station, at 42nd and Mitthoeffer Road, was a bit more fortunate. The business wasn't physically damaged, but going without power for days cost the store thousands of dollars.

"No sales for almost 28 hours, and all the perishable items went out," said Hamid Ahmed.

Gramboli's Pizza, a 30-year family business, reopened Monday after repairs, but the storm was up close and personal for the owner, Reba Graham.

"I was taking my employees home -- one at Falcon Point -- and I was at the light at 38th and Mitthoeffer and it hit," Graham said. "My van got thrown around and I got a few cuts and it blew my windows out."